The Wolfman has been scheduled for release on February 10, 2010, with Benicio Del Toro in the lead role and such greats as Hugo Weaving and Sir Anthony Hopkins in supporting roles. I’m excited about this movie because of its excellent casting and (I have to admit) it’s perfectly eerie style. The trailer certainly does an excellent job of building anticipation for this classic remake. One thing is for sure — I have scheduled this release date into my calendar!
Arranged by prosecutors in Los angeles and Washington, Swiss authorities arrested director Roman Polanski late Saturday (Sept. 26, 2009) as he arrived at the Zurich airport. Polanski was scheduled to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival.
According to a New York Times report,
Mr. Polanski, 76, a French citizen, was detained as he arrived to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival. Although he is expected to oppose extradition, the arrest raised a strong possibility that Mr. Polanski would be returned to the United States to face sentencing under his conviction for having had sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
Here is a short timeline of the events, according to IMDB.com:
By Wrap Staff
1969
Roman Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate slain by the Manson family.
1977
Polanski has sex with a 13-year-old model in L.A. Pleads guilty to reduced charges of “unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” as part of a plea bargain and undergoes psychiatric evaluation in a prison facility.
1978
Polanski flees to France, where he has citizenship. A U.S. warrant is issued for his arrest …
- Glenn Abel
The NY Times states,
The legal proceedings around Mr. Polanski heated up again in late 2008 with the release of a documentary film, “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” that detailed claims of judicial and prosecutorial wrongdoing at the time of the director’s original arrest…
…Mr. Polanski was initially indicted in 1977 on six felony charges that included rape, sodomy and providing a controlled substance to Ms. Geimer. He eventually pleaded guilty to one count of having sex with a minor but left the country after becoming convinced he would be sent back to jail after having a 42-day psychiatric evaluation in state prison. He has not openly visited the country since; when he won an Oscar for directing “The Pianist,” he did not attend the ceremony.
Polanski’s lawyers asked that the case be dropped, citing the film and other evidence. But the request was rejected.
Roman Polanski has been a highly-regarded filmmaker, for such films as The Pianist & Rosemary’s Baby. He is also the husband of the late Sharon Tate, who was killed by the Manson crime family.
At first glance, it may appear that District 9 is just another sci-fi action movie about scary aliens who come to Earth. I mean, how many times have we seen this played out on the big screen? Who could get psyched up about a low-budget ($30 million) sci-fi movie starring a no-name lead actor (Sharlto Copley)? Haven’t we had enough of predictable sci-fi movies? Well, brace yourselves everyone. District 9 may not be what you are expecting.
The biggest draw for this movie has been a very well-made trailer (see below), and the fact that Peter Jackson is producing. But trust me when I say that the trailer does not tell you the whole story. And quite frankly, you will see that this movie is about much more than what the trailer reveals.
To state it bluntly, this movie is a masterful creation that took me by surprise. From the grainy, realistic style of the movie, to the incredible performance of Sharlto Copley’s first big screen appearance, this movie is one that never bores and is never predictable. You will find yourself wondering who you should be cheering for throughout this movie. And it is that uncertainty that makes this movie so absorbing. You find yourself questioning your early notions from the film’s beginning as it progresses through it’s intricate plot. And it maintains your attention throughout.
According to Variety, Twentieth Century Fox is planning to revive it’s ‘Alien’ franchise by releasing a prequel film that takes place before the 1979 classic ‘Alien‘. This, of course, is news in itself. But the BIG news is that Ridley Scott (who directed the original film) has been signed on to direct this prequel! There were three sequels to the original film, but this is the first time Scott has agreed to direct one. This should be good!
Read the Variety report HERE!
As if Watchmen wasn’t long enough, it looks like Warner Bros. is looking to cash in by releasing a Director’s Cut of the film in July, one week before the DVD & Blu-ray releases. The new version will include 25 minutes of extra footage that extends the film’s runtime to just over 3 hours!
I always felt the film was a bit too long in its original version, but it looks like Warner Bros. is expecting the die-hard fans to come back and see this Director’s Cut. According to the post on the MTV Movies Blog, this new version is going to be more graphic and violent. But over three hours? The first film had a pretty slow pace at times, so I fear that the patience of the audience may run thin. But then again, the die-hard Watchmen fans will most likely appreciate a longer, more graphic version. We’ll have to see.
Check out the entire post on MTV’s Movie Blog here, and check out the new Director’s Cut of Watchmen in July if you have the patience.
